Multi-layered element for manufacturing spectacle frames, method for manufacturing such multi-layered element and spectacle frame comprising one or more multi-layered elements

Abstract

A multi-layered element for manufacturing spectacle frames including at least one layer of polymeric material. The multi-layered element is a front piece or a side piece of a spectacle frame. Moreover, the multi-layered element includes at least one layer of metallic material joined to the layer of polymeric material by means of a layer of adhesive material. Also provided is a spectacle frame including one or more multi-layered elements and a method for manufacturing a multi-layered element.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A spectacle frame comprising:
 a front piece; 
 a pair of side pieces joined to the ends of the front piece; 
 wherein said front piece and/or said side pieces are formed by multi-layered elements comprising at least one layer of polymeric material and at least one layer of metallic material joined together by means of a layer of adhesive material; 
 wherein said layer of metallic material is arranged on outer surfaces of said front piece and/or of said side pieces; 
 wherein said polymeric material is cellulose acetate; and 
 wherein the layer of adhesive material is placed between a joining surface of the layer of polymeric material and a joining surface of the layer of metallic material, said joining surfaces having superficial roughness values different from each other; and 
 wherein the layer of metallic material has a smaller thickness than the layer of polymeric material. 
 
     
     
       2. The spectacle frame according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the superficial roughness value of the joining surface of said at least one layer of polymeric material is between 1 and 3.4 μm. 
     
     
       3. The spectacle frame according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the superficial roughness value of the joining surface of said at least one layer of metallic material is between 0.8 and 3.2 μm. 
     
     
       4. The spectacle frame according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said metallic material is chosen from the group consisting of aluminum, stainless steel, brass, titanium, bronze and copper. 
     
     
       5. The spectacle frame according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the adhesive material is of an acrylic type, modified acrylic type, epoxy type or an acrylic-epoxy mixture and comprises a catalyst. 
     
     
       6. A method for manufacturing the spectacle frame of  claim 1 , which method comprises the following steps:
 (a) cutting a sheet of polymeric material to obtain the layer of polymeric material having a predefined profile; 
 (b) cutting a sheet of metallic material to obtain the layer of metallic material having a predefined profile; 
 (c) applying the layer of adhesive material on the joining surface of said layer of polymeric material and/or on the joining surface of said layer of metallic material; 
 (d) positioning said layer of metallic material on the joining surface of said layer of polymeric material on which said layer of adhesive material has been previously applied or positioning said layer of polymeric material on the joining surface of said layer of metallic material on which said layer of adhesive material has been previously applied; 
 (e) pressing and gluing said layer of polymeric material and said layer of metallic material to produce a multi-layered semi-finished product; and 
 (f) machining said multi-layered semi-finished product to produce said spectacle frame. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that, before said step (c), a step (g) is provided for sandblasting the joining surfaces of said layer of polymeric material and said layer of metallic material designed to come into contact with said layer of adhesive material. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that after said step (g) a step (h) is provided for cleaning the joining surfaces of the layers of polymeric material and metallic material which have previously undergone sandblasting.